REVIEW: A Funny Thing Happened at Redbox

A funny thing happened on the way to Redbox. I had recently watched Mother’s Day, directed by Kansas City native, Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III and IV). Surprised that the movie was as entertaining as it was, I sought his follow-up effort, 11-11-11. In the back of my mind, I remembered a lot of hype for it; but, as far as I knew, it was never released in theaters.

At the big red DVD dispensing machine, I searched 11-11-11 and was pleased to discover it was indeed available. I swiped my card, removed the disc and went along my merry way.

Imagine my puzzlement when I later inserted the DVD into my player and began watching the movie, only to see Bousman’s name nowhere in the opening credits. I grabbed the nearest mobile device and opened my IMDb app. Since my finger is normally on the pulse of the horror genre, I was surprised to learn that there were two movies called 11-11-11, both released in 2011. Doh! Oh, well, I had gone to the trouble; I might as well watch this one. How bad could it be?

The answer is, pretty darned bad. Let’s call it 11/11/11(V) like IMDb does, since it was made (and it looks it) directly for home video. Now take a look at the DVD cover:

What does it remind you of? If you say The Omen, ding-ding, you win a prize. Cover art is not the only thing this movie steals from one that is far superior. Try the entire plot. I mean, this movie is so familiar and unoriginal, I actually felt ashamed for contributing $1 to its pocketbook. It steals from not only one superior movie, but three. Mixed into this putrid melting pot are pieces of Rosemary’s Baby and The Amityville Horror.

Stop the presses! While doing more research, I’ve just learned that 11/11/11(V) was made by The Asylum, a company famous for producing “mockbusters”, movies that capitalize on major studio releases. The fact that this one rips off a movie that’s 36-years old is even more pathetic. I wonder if it’s the same company that provides SyFy with its Saturday night programming?

In any case, I’ve said all I care to say about it, which is more than it deserves. Just heed my warning and don’t make the same mistake I did. You want the 11-11-11 that uses dashes ( – ) on the cover, not slashes ( / ). Or do you?

11-11-11 is at least of higher quality and got a “limited” theatrical release on… guess when? Timothy Gibbs (who?) stars as Joseph Crone, a man who travels to Spain to see his dying father after his wife and child are killed in a car accident. Staying at the home of his wheelchair-bound, rebel minister brother, Samuel (Michael Landes), Joseph is haunted by the number 11. It appears in every date and time that is significant to him. Yeah, this is one of those movies where someone always wakes up at the same time: 11:11.

It’s all building to 11:11 on 11-11-11 when… something is going to happen. I’m still not clear what. I was hoping it would be exciting, because not much happens for the rest of the movie. I suppose it’s somewhat creepy in parts, but there are no significant events along the way, much less any jumps or scares. The best I can tell is that Samuel is either the second coming of Christ or he’s the Antichrist. But it’s Joseph with the initials J.C. Understand my confusion?

This may be the best indication of how I felt about the movie: I’m writing this review several days after I saw it and I can barely remember what happened in it. In fact, I’d be more likely to remember what actually happened on November 11, 2011, than I would be to remember this movie. Believe me, that means something.